September 30, 2010
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RETURNING TO THE LORD [REVIVAL 1]
Returning to the Lord
(Personal Revival #1)
Hosea 6:1-3
9/29/10 Awanaref: Book "Downpour" by James MacDonald (and sermon series)
INTRO
* Def. "Revival" = God, gladly at the center of my life, experienced and enjoyed... to be dissatisfied w/ anything less than a genuine, personal, passionate experience w/ God
* Illustration: at our shop we have to recalibrate equipment/machines periodically. Revival is when Christians periodically need recalibrated, re-centered on Christ.
* read Hosea 3:1-3
> Hosea preached for approx 80 years. Isaiah & Micah were his contemporaries
> 1st, largest, and most theologically complete of the minor prophets
> theme: Gods love for His people when their hearts are far from Him
> ministered in the northern Kingdom of Israel. The people were prosperous, wayward, self-indulgent, & idolatrous
> Hosea was commanded by God to marry a women named Gomer, who later became a prostitute. Hosea's faithful love for his unfaithful wife became a picture of Gods love for His unfaithful people
> Hosea pleads for change of heart and direction to avoid judgment and experience restoration and revival1. THE INVITATION TO REVIVAL
a. Let Us RETURN To The Lord (vs 1)
* "come" - come, return, you dont have to stay where you are! things can change! doubt can become faith, discouragement can become joy, defeat can become victory
* "let us" - your not alone... you may wonder if you are alone or if anyone cares, we do!
* "return" - used over 1000 x's in OT. repentance, turning is a crisis.
> Hosea 5:4, 7:10, 11:5, 14:1-2
* returning to the Lord is...
> recognizing... recognize your going the wrong way. recognize sin for the rupulsive thing that it is. God has to shine his light on your mind
> repenting... I'm wrong, I'm sorry, I have no excuse,
> returning (leaving)... I dont want this sin, I am leaving it behind, I want what God wants for me
* remember... we dont fix ourselves in order to come to God, we come to God to get fixed. (Illustration: You dont need to take a shower before you take a bath)
* Christianity is seen as a PROCESS. see Col 2:6. You NEED to have a periodic CRISIS, a turning, a returning, repentance.
* When was the last time you experienced a real spiritual CRISIS?...A deep, heartfelt rekindling of passion over His Word?... a deep heart ache over lost souls?... over a struggle w/ sin?... over your ministry?b. Let Us PURSUE The Lord (vs 3)
* "let us strive to know" = let us pursue the Lord
* knowledge of the Lord is...
> facts about God... Gods resume, who He is, what He has done
> a heart understanding of the facts... impacts you at the core of your being
> experience w/ God... God is everywhere & always working
> blessings from God... a heart awareness that every good thing is from God
* "strive" = not just "know", but to press on to know, notice the intentional pursuit. intense, active, passionate... WAKE UP & GO AFTER THE LORD!
* Illustration: a wake up experience like a car accident... it wakes us up and makes us think about how much time we have here on earth... pursue the Lord!2. THE PATHWAY TO REVIVAL
a. from PAIN to PURPOSE (vs 1)
* "torn" = like torn by animals
* "He" = behind the hurt in your life, is God. God is creating a crisis to call us back.
* In our church we could share testimonies of thanksgiving to God for how He has used PAIN to bring PURPOSE. A CRISIS to get us on the path to revival.
* see Hos 5:14-15
* WHY? that He may HEAL us. no healing - no returning! To cause you to SEEK and search for Him.b..from DEATH to LIFE (vs 1-2)
* "wounded" = to strike down, sometimes means death, rock bottom
* just as a Dr. must wound to heal, as a bone is sometimes broken to be set
> illustration: cutting through the sternum to get to the heart for surgery
> Job 5:17-18
> God would rather see us anywhere than living in rebelling and resistance to His will for us.
* "two days" = not Christs resurrection but YOURS. God know you are in the fire but its for a SPECIFIED amount of time and NOT a moment longer!
* REMINDER: you cant be revived w/o first being "vived"... you cant have renewed life if you've never had life... Jn 5:24 (Have you been converted?)
* Will you let life's PAINS bring you to Gods PURPOSES? or will God have to TEAR that SIN from your life?3. THE EXPERIENCE OF REVIVAL
a. Its AVAILABLE! (vs 3)
* "going out" = troops, marching out to battle, His work is CERTAIN
* He is NOT reluctant, He is willing, nothing can stop Him!!
* "He... He... He,,," = God is doing it
* You CANNOT bring revival to your town, church, or home... BUT you can bring it to your OWN HEART... today?b. Its ABUNDANT!
* when revival come to the heart, its not a sprinkle but a downpour! its a flood!
* I have been praying for revival for me, and for you!CONCLUSION
* "Revival" = God, gladly at the center of my life, experienced and enjoyed... to be dissatisfied w/ anything less than a genuine, personal, passionate experience w/ God
* In the coming weeks, we are going to search the Scriptures to see...
> God on the Throne (Holiness)
> Sin in the Mirror (Brokeness)
> Self in the Dirt (Repentance)
> Christ on the Cross (Grace)
> Spirit in Control (Power)
